You probably already know that the Day of the Dead is an important Mexican holiday celebrated on November 2nd. Thanks to the popularity of box office smash âCocoâ, Dia de Los Muertos has become well known all across the world. In Mexico, this important cultural event is a huge part of the countryâs rich history and heritage.
This year in Puerto Vallarta, the largest Catrina in Puerto Vallarta’s history was constructed. The elegant and striking Catrina was designed by local artist Alondra Muca and measured an impressive 23 meters tall. At 75 feet high, the Calavera Catrina earned the Guinness Book World Record for having the tallest Catrina in the world.
Each year, the Malecon boardwalk is decorated in honor of Dia de Los Muertos with beautiful altars and decorations to honor those who have passed on before us. Read more about this yearâs record breaking Catrina in Puerto Vallarta.
Where Did La Catrina Come From?
To start with, if you didnât know the origins of the Catrina image, you can learn about that right here. Back in 1910, a Mexican printmaker and cartoon illustrator named JosĂ© Guadalupe created a zinc sketch which was the first image of a Calavera Catrina. Originally, the skeleton image was intended to mock upper class women who supported the dictatorship of President Porfirio DĂaz during the Mexican Revolution.
Later, the skeleton image was given the name Catrina by renowned Mexican artist Diego Rivera when he painted her dressed up in elegant dresses in one of his murals. Over time, it became an iconic figure in Mexican culture representing death and the way Mexicans deal with the loss of a loved one. Eventually, the character of La Catrina became a symbol that is synonymous with the Day of the Dead.
Local Artist Alondra Muca
The artist behind PVâs incredible catrina is local Vallarta artist, Alondra Muca. She is a young artist who led a team that worked for over a year in preparation of constructing the enormous structure.
The impressive Catrina is so tall that it has been recorded in the Guiness Book of World Records as the tallest Catrina in the world at 23 meters high, beating the former record made in 2015 in Zapotlanejo, Jalisco of 18.77 meters. She is composed of metal and fiberglass, and is wearing a vibrant blue dress with sparkly sequined teal and gold accents on her top. Her skeleton face is painted white with blue designs and pink and red flowers. As a final touch, her hat contains real palm tree leaves.
If you werenât able to celebrate the Day of the Dead this year, why not make sure to plan a trip next year? If you need a great place to stay, contact us at Villa La Estancia in Nuevo Nayarit. Located just 15 minutes north of the PVR airport, our luxury resort has spacious accommodations and top amenities. Plus, we are located on a quiet and tranquil beach that is ideal for swimming and strolling along the shore. Itâs just a short drive to reach downtown Puerto Vallarta too if you want to get into the heat of the action.
Right now, we have special all-inclusive travel packages on sale. In addition, we are a hotel-condo concept property and also have a limited number of beachfront residences for sale for people who want to own a vacation home in paradise. Contact us at Villa La Estancia today to learn more!